Something to drink on a warm afternoon and a little something to eat – with that in mind, my friend and I made our way to Bogeto Café at Mumbai Central. This one is Bogeto’s second outlet in Mumbai, the other one being at Matunga. The location was found readily enough, very distinct signage declaring its presence, although I’d have mistaken it for a Parsi food hub had I not known better.

The nearly empty café could be due to the fact that it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner, but yes, we had the place to ourselves. I liked the huge windows and floral upholstery which gave the place a European appeal – the décor a mixed bag of quirk and staid, contemporary without trying too hard. Certainly a welcoming place to walk into when one is in the crowded Mumbai Central area.

Despite my lack of enthusiasm for vegetarian food, this place had me scouring the menu with enthusiasm as I had been told that it has a wide array of food encompassing Continental and Asian cuisine with a smattering of Mumbai street food too.

The Jalapeno and Three Cheese Poppers (INR 220) sounded good and we began with those – flavoursome nuggets which were a combination of mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar coupled with the tanginess of the jalapenos and a sweet & spicy dip. Although the cheese didn’t ooze out as I thought it would, it made the taste buds come alive and we relished each one of the poppers – delicious! The Bisse Bille Araancinni with Chutney (INR 249) tasted just the way the name suggests – a bit of a confusion among the Italian part and the South of the Vindhyas, this will certainly appeal to those who are fond of heavy duty fusion. The Thepla Toquitos (INR 149) had Gujarat making its presence felt in a very Mexican dish – I liked the fun factor of it all, one simply doesn’t know what to expect and the tongue cannot rely of familiarity with known tastes. The Bombay Crostini (INR 250) – baguettes topped with pav bhaji and cheese – didn’t hit the right notes with me though.

We moved on to Soup – my Rustic Tomato Soup (INR 175) would be more appropriate for the chilly winter with its thickness and heartiness. It tasted much better than it looked & I loved the taste of bell pepper that came though the thickness of tomato. My friend’s Manchow Soup (INR 175) could have used some more flavours though.

The star among the dishes we tried was the salad – a beautiful mix of textures and tastes with Watermelon Feta with Rocket & Balsamic Reduction (INR 250). Among all that I tasted, this one gets many thumbs up from me. That, along with the delicious Basil Lemon (INR 175), which is watermelon mojito freshly made with a frizzy blend of soda, watermelon chunks, watermelon juice & mint, left me refreshed, energized and satisfied.

The menu boasts of a range of sandwiches & burgers, sizzlers, pizzas and an assortment of meals in a bowl. I also liked The Big Stir Fry section where one can choose veggies and sauces of one’s choice.

Too full to taste any further, and yet not wanting to refuse the gracious request to try out the dessert, we found ourselves staring at the most decadent Rasmalai Stack Up (INR 300) I have ever seen! Three nice & big rasmalais stacked up with layers of chocolate and cream and generously sprinkled with nuts. The “will have just a bite” ended with an absolutely clean plate!

Then I met Michael Jackson – rather, his skull. The Michael Jackson Skull Shake (INR 350) is practically a meal in itself with white chocolate, choc cookie shake, white chocolate ganache & cookie crumb with vanilla soft serve, fudge brownie and toasted marshmallow pops in the side. The skull with its colourful headgear was a joy to behold. Am certain it will be a subject of conversation whenever it is brought to the table. Although I couldn’t do justice to this charming dessert, I told myself I’d be back if only for this one.

Bogeto Café at Mumbai Central has location as its biggest ace. With a wide range of choices on its menu, and with Jain options available, and a mid-range pricing, it has what it takes to make it a place where people drop by to grab a bite to eat as they go about their day, and also a fine place to have casual meetings.We, at Mumbai Food Freaks, wish Bogeto Café at Mumbai Central good luck in having a house full of very satisfied guests.

Telephone : +91 22 6022 3666Disclaimer: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgement and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review, but readers need to consider this review keeping this fact in mind.